ABOUT MONTEL
Montel Williams earned his media celebrity status as an inspirational Emmy Award winning television personality whom Americans invited into their homes for more than 17 years. He is a decorated former naval officer, inspirational speaker, author, entrepreneur and advocate for patients worldwide.
Before and after the success of his television show, Montel has been passionately involved in many projects that he has transformed into major initiatives with the aim of helping others.
Williams is currently hosting the hit Lifetime Show, Military Makeover with Montel. This special series enlists conscientious designers, contractors, landscapers and other home improvement professionals to transform the homes and lives of military families across the country. He is also recently signed on as a co-host of the Lifetime talk show, The Balancing Act, now in its 13th year.
Williams launched his podcast, Let’s Be Blunt with Montel in August of 2020. The goal of the podcast is to empower listeners with knowledge on a wide variety of topics that can impact their lives and well being, with a recurring theme of covering the cannabis space. He recently launched his second weekly podcast, Free Thinking, covering a wide range of topics from wellness to veterans issues.
Williams became an early advocate of cannabis law reform in the US. Back when he started as an advocate, patients were being dragged out of their homes in wheelchairs by the police for using cannabis to treat their pain, and Williams was one of the few high-profile voices on Capitol Hill fighting for their rights. Over the past two decades, he has worked to pass cannabis legislation in key states and led the push for military veterans to access medical cannabis without the threat of losing benefits. Now, he serves as Founder of Lenitiv Scientific, a cannabis product company, while also hosting the “Let’s Be Blunt” podcast, which provides education and information on the cannabis industry.
Williams hosted “The Montel Williams Show”, a nationally syndicated talk show distributed by CBS Paramount Television, for 17 years, taping over 3,500 shows and interviewing more than 30,000 guests focusing on key social issues involving ordinary people coping with extraordinary circumstances. He received a Daytime Emmy® Award for Outstanding Talk Show Host and his show was nominated for Outstanding Talk Show two years in a row.
Williams enjoys acting and performs whenever his schedule permits, most recently having guest starred on the Fox hit series The Resident. Over the years he has appeared on programs including “All My Children.” “American Dreams” and “JAG.” Williams contributed to the long running dramatic series “Guiding Light” playing “Clayton Boudreau”, which landed him a nomination in 2009 for a NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in Television Series. He also starred in the critically acclaimed off-Broadway play “The Exonerated”. Williams starred and executive produced a prime time network series for CBS, “The Education of Matt Waters”.
Williams has been a prolific author of uplifting and practical books, of which four became bestsellers. They include “Living Well Emotionally: Breakthrough to a Life of Happiness”,” Living Well: 21 Days to Transform Your Life, Supercharge Your Health, and Feel Spectacular”, “ Climbing Higher”,” Body Change”,” Life Lessons and Reflections”, “A Dozen Ways to Sunday: Stories of Hope and Courage”, ”Mountain Get Out of My Way: Life Lessons and Learned Truths” and “Practical Parenting”.
Because of Williams’ own military service, he has a special place in his heart for our servicemen and women. Over the years he has been involved in charities promoting diversity, the welfare of children, animal rights and the well-being of active duty troops and veterans to name just a few. Williams currently serves as an advisory board member of the Fisher House Foundation; the Ann Romney Center for Neurologic Diseases at Brigham and Women’s Hospital; The Research and Recognition Project and Athletes 4 Care.
Williams began his professional career in the United States Marine Corps and was the first black Marine selected to the Naval Academy Prep School to then go on to graduate from the Unites States Naval Academy. Williams earned a degree in general engineering and a minor in international security affairs. He also earned a degree from the Defense Language Institute in Russian and Mandarin Chinese. While serving in the military Williams was the recipient of two Meritorious Service Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals, two Navy Achievement Medals and various other military awards and citations.